Todd McShay: Cowboys to draft Fletcher Cox, Amini Silatolu early

2/14

Michael Conroy/AP

Fletcher Cox, DE, Mississippi State: Believed by many experts to be perfectly suited as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme, Cox is considered a high IQ player with a good motor. As a junior last year, Cox, 6-4, 298 pounds, was named All-SEC first team after recording 56 tackles and five sacks. Cox isn’t expected to immediately have a high impact but he has potential to develop into an outstanding edge player.

McShay has the Cowboys using the 14th overall pick on Mississippi State defensive lineman Fletcher Cox.

"Stanford G David DeCastro and Alabama S Mark Barron are possibilities here, but I like what Cox could bring to Rob Ryan's defense," McShay wrote. "He has the versatility to play anywhere along the defensive line and can provide pass-rush production from the inside."

McShay is one of the first notable mock draft prognosticators to also predict the second round of next month’s draft.

In a recent mock draft, SportingNews.com's Russ Lande projected Silatolu going to the Ravens [No. 29 overall] at the end of the first round.

"Silatolu is a tremendous talent who likely will be a first-round pick," Lande wrote. "NFL teams are often wary of drafting guards in the first round. However, his strength, athleticism and ability to physically dominate his man, offsets those concerns. Silatolu will have growing pains as a rookie. By his second season, he should become a high-level starter."

In McShay's second round mock draft, Wisconsin center Peter Konz and Oklahoma outside linebacker Ronnell Lewis were a couple of notable names that were still on the board at the Cowboys' pick. McShay had Konz going to the Patriots and No. 48 and Lewis being picked by the Eagles at No. 51.

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